The Security Service revealed a large-scale embezzlement scheme of budget money.

The management of the Main Department of the State Tax Service in the Lviv region is involved in the arrangement.

Officials organized illegal refunds of value-added tax (VAT) to local businesses. This should have allowed them to "withdraw" more than UAH 40 million from the state budget.

However, Ukrainian law enforcement officers promptly blocked the scheme and identified its main participants.

According to the investigation, the officials involved in the illegal activity affiliated with commercial structures engaged in importing consumer goods and their sale.

Merchants sold wholesale batches of foreign products for cash, but in the tax reporting, it was written that they failed to sell the goods, and it was allegedly stored in warehouses.

Then these entrepreneurs formed an application for a budget VAT refund. The reason given was that they paid the specified tax upon importation, but they were allegedly unable to sell these goods, so they are entitled to compensation under the law.

During the inspection of relevant documents, tax officials "turned a blind eye" to the absence of goods and even warehouses where the products were allegedly stored.

After receiving budget money in the accounts of the enterprises, their representatives withdrew the funds into the shadows and converted them into cash through controlled companies.

According to the materials of the SSU, three high-ranking officials of the regional administration of the State Tax Service were notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Art. 364 (abuse of power or official position) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The issue of choosing a preventive measure is being resolved.

SSU and Economic Security Bureau employees conducted the investigation under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor General's Office.